I recieved a letter from Bridge city tools last Friday stating that the company will cease operations in the next 10 days. First I should apologize for comments I made in another post- I had no idea this was happening.
I for one will grieve the loss of this innovative and progressive leader in making tools that were not only functional but a work of craftsmanship. I hope that John can overcome this setback and find a way to resurrect the company. Quality is truly contagious. Joe
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Care to expand on this?
What happened?
Lee
Furniture Carver
Well, apparently the Board of directors recommened to cease operations on June 17 2002. The letter I recieved just stated that Sometime in the next 10 days they could no longer process payment (I purchased the Ashlar Vellum Graphite drawing program from them last September). I am not a stockholder in the company so I doubt that I can say anymore than that because it would only be speculation on my part Maybe others could. Joe
I met John when Bridge City was in it's infancy and he himself was on the road hawking his designer tools. Another friend, the guy that invented the Magnaset, did the shows along with John and I'd hook up with them whenever our paths were within several hundred miles of each other. We have all long since parted ways but I'm sorry if John and/or Bridge City has fallen on hard times.
Designer tools are a niche that John capitalized on I'm sure he'll land on his feet. As to the guy that invented the Magnaset, George Hessenthaler, he sold to Grizzly and moved on.
LeeLee Grindinger
Furniture Carver
What is going to occupy the top of my hand tool wish list now? I have one of their sliding bevels and it's a pleasure to use. Wish I would have bought a few of their other tools when I had the chance.John O'Connell - JKO Handcrafted Woodworking
Life is tough. It's tougher if you're stupid - John Wayne
Lee, it's a long shot, but you might want to call them. They may very well have hired an auctioneer to liquidate the business, and if there's any inventory left, it would be up for bid too maybe.forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-)
Hi Folks,
I called them yesterday. Frankly, I was skeptical of the "rumor" because their website made no mention of it. ( No offense to you, Joe.) The person I spoke with did confirm the story. He said that Bridge City is in negotiations with a potential buyer. They would continue to make the same tools. They hope/expect Economaki will remain with Bridge City as the tool designer. I haven't noticed a "going out of business sale," so the new company obviously wants to purchase the existing inventory.
I hope that things work out as they were described to me. They sure made pretty tools. I have a few of them on my wish list.
Cheers
Forest Girl, I have no interest in obtainig any Bridge City tools. Designer tools hold no allure for me, I'm far more practical than that.
Actually, Bridge City's primary market has always been the amateur. Amateurs seem to have more money to spend on fancy woodworking tools than those of us in the field.
LeeLee Grindinger
Furniture Carver
Well, excuuuuuuzzzzze me Lee, I obviously made a sleepy mistake at 10:09 PST last night, and you just couldn't pass up the opportunity to make a slam could you?forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-)
A slam?
There's no slam in my message.
Amateurs make up a huge market share of tool sales and many tools are designed, manufactured, marketted to and sold to amateurs.
Bridge City is one of those manufacturers. This is not a judgement, it's a fact.
You seem to take the label "amateur" as a slam, Forest Girl. Why?
Lee
Lee Grindinger
Furniture Carver
Edited 8/14/2002 12:41:09 PM ET by LeeGrindinger
That's an opinion. Calling it a fact does not make it a fact.
Not to get into infinite regressions or anything like that, but your opinion that Mr. Grindinger's statement is not a fact is simply your opinion, not a fact. Unless, of course, you have valid information that the majority of Bridge City's sales have been to professionals and not to amatuers. Do you have such information? I thought not.
As it is my belief that the great majority of people in this forum are amateurs, one could play the odds and say that most of the tools are bought by them. It is neither right nor wrong. Your guess is as good as mine-my opinion only
"Amateurs make up a huge market share of tool sales and many tools are designed, manufactured, marketted to and sold to amateurs"
hey I resemble that remark...except affording the tools and being and amatuer and and..... I want more tools...... I want more tools....... Darkworksite4: When the job is to small for everyone else, Its just about right for me"
Ron,
There's a lot of stuff out there. Have you ever considered joining one of the antique tool collecting organizations? I went to a meeting of the Pacific Northwest Tool Collectors last weekend and had the opportunity to buy a new tool. They offer what they call a "favor" at their big meeting every other year. This year it was a patternmaker's router that was basically a collaboration between two well known contemporary tool makers, Chris Laarman and Paul Hamler. The club sold the routers for the cost of materials, $30. I don't think you can touch any Hamler or Laarman tools for anywhere near that price and there were only about 250 of these made. Gorgeous work by to great tool makers.
View Image
Oh, you should have seen all the incredible old tools there for very reasonable prices. Oh #2--Lee is right about amateurs being the main market for "designer tools." I don't think Lee or any of the other professionals that post here have any problems with amateurs and I don't think they'd be here if they did.
Edited 8/14/2002 9:46:08 PM ET by Larry Williams
No Lee, I do not take the label "amateur" as a slam. I've been an amateur in a few fields over the years, in a couple I progressed to para-professional, a couple to professional, and the others I remained an amateur, because that's all I was interested in. What I was reacting to in my caffein-deprived state this morning was the condescending tone of your note. Your prerogative, certainly.forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-)
Sheesh
Larry, I'm truly sorry I missed you when you were through here.
Ron, your perspective and humor is a great thing.
Don, thanks for trying to keep this forum real but I think you're losing the battle.
Again...sheesh
I'm convinced the good old days are gone...
Lee
Yup Lee the times have changed. I hadn't been around this board very long now and even I see it.
I suppose that BCTW tools didn't make me anyore than what I am but at least John had something going that got my own creative juices going again. I had pretty much completely burned myself out designing and building furniture and was knocking out kitchen cabinets to make ends meet. I am designing and building again maybe in part because of his own innovation with tools and partly because I do love the challenges I face in any given day.
I take no offence to verification of the facts. I also was skeptical when I had first heard the news. I am saddened by the fact that someone may buy BCTW but hey, that is capitalism for you. Joe
BCTW tools are absolutely beautiful and probably not the mainstay of most professionals. Tools have a bad habit of disappearing in more-than-1-man- shops or on jobsites. It sort of defeats the purpose to spray paint your $225 LN #4 with your shade of blue or red paint:) Amateurs, semi-pros or pros all have different constraints to live with. The pure amateur doesn't have the constraints of a pro trying to make a living and satisfying a customer. Free of economic pressure and having unlimited time and all else being equal, the amateur can and often does produce work of far supperior quality to that of the professional. That said 'Amateur' status is not negative in the least.
Sheeesh! In the immortal words of Rodney King - "Can't we all just get along?"John O'Connell - JKO Handcrafted Woodworking
Life is tough. It's tougher if you're stupid - John Wayne
My Dear Ms Forest_Girl-
I have read a fair sampling of your posts on this forum (they are so numerous that it would be nigh onto impossible to read them all in a reasonable amount of time), and I think I detect a trend or two.
You are gracious to admit when a mistake has been made. That is unusual, particularly on this forum. But there always seems to be an outside force that causes the mistake--caffeine deprivation, too many dashes, little devil-made-me-do-it details (please forgive the dashes).
I assume you have had many successes in life to go along with the occasional error. Do similar external forces cause your successes as well, so that you may not accept responisbility or credit for them?
Your "Good Old Chessie",
Willis
Edited 8/15/2002 7:33:33 PM ET by Chester
Lee's right. Pros most likely made up a very small percentage of Bridge City's sales.
Chessie, those "devil-made-me-do-it" asides are probably an attempt to introduce a little lightness, as much as anything. As far as my successes are concerned, I attribute them in most instances with my taking advantage of opportunities that are presented to me, and then working very hard to make the thing work. The most significant positive things that I've done or experienced have been the result of my being willing to "go for it" when The Spirits as I laughingly call them flutter an opportunity in my face. So it's a mixture of what some people call luck, plus foolishness and hard work, LOL!
Oftentimes, such an experience has been a bit like jumping off a cliff without knowing for sure who packed my parachute (was that a mixed metaphor?), but with one major exception, I've been extremely happy a year down the road that I took the chance when I did.
forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-)
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